Several years ago, a shop was experiencing problems with taps unexpectedly breaking. When we investigated, the problem initially stumped us. There didn’t seem to be a problem with the tools. We checked everything we could think of regarding their machine’s performance and it all looked good. It was on day three of troubleshooting that we identified the cause: their coolant mix.

Every operator encounters low coolant levels. Small amounts are lost both with chips and due to evaporation. The typical quick fix is to pour in some water and keep machining. This had been occurring at the shop with the broken taps and their mixture became too diluted, resulting in a level of lubrication insufficient for the cutting process. This increased the force on the tools beyond what they could sustain, leading to them breaking in the cut.

Topping off a machine’s fluids with water is a common fix that results in a common problem. Even when tools aren’t breaking, subpar lubrication levels will increase stress on them and can significantly reduce their effective life. In worse cases, having too much water in the mix can lead to rusting of the table or way covers. If you spot early signs of rust on your machine, there’s a good chance that the culprit is the water ratio in your coolant mix.

Fortunately, this is an easy problem to avoid. The company providing your coolant concentrate offers guidelines on the proper ratio to maintain. As a basic first step, every time you top off your tank with a gallon of water, be sure to add the recommended amount of coolant as well.

Even better, purchase a refractometer and put it to use. An extremely inexpensive tool, a refractometer allows you to instantly analyze the composition of your mix and identify the ratio of water to lubrication. By testing your fluids weekly and adding additional coolant as needed, you will maximize both the life of your machine and the performance of your cutting tools.

If you have questions about maintaining proper coolant ratios or any other preventive maintenance items, don’t hesitate to reach out. We design our preventive maintenance recommendations to maximize the performance and life of your machine, and we’re always available to offer additional input on them!